Erik Morales is a great fighter, but tonight, his time is surely up. Having punished his body to get down to 130lbs, Morales looked a shadow of his former self, taking a horrendous beating from Manny Pacquiao in three short rounds.
The explosive Filipino was better than ever, jabbing, hooking and blasting his powerful left with immense confidence from round one of their fight at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Morales gave the outward appearance of health and strength, but he looked wobbly on his legs almost immediately.
Pacquaio out landed Morales throughout the bout, displaying lightning quick hands and freakish punch power, dropping the former champion a total of three times before Morales submitted.
After weighing in at 129 1/2lbs, Morales looking extremely focused and chiselled while in his dressing room, but it was a fa?ade he could not maintain against the dynamic Filipino.
The first round saw both men come out tentatively, probing with their jabs and looking to create angles. The ‘Pac Man’ landed a fast combo early, jumping deftly out of trouble as Morales tried to come back. Morales forced his way in and landed a good left driving Pacquiao back, but could not follow with anything significant. Pacquiao unleashed two scintillating right hooks that visibly stunned Morales and caused the veteran to look distinctly uncomfortable. Morales surged forwards, but Pacquiao neatly slipped the punches pivoting his way out of trouble. Pacquaio shuffled his feet ostentatiously, providing a stark contrast with Morales shaky legs. A stinging right-left combination landed for Pacquiao at the end of the round, punctuating his superior hand speed and power.
In the second, Morales came out more aggressively, firing with both hands at Pacquiao. The ‘Pac Man’ continued to dart in and out, jabbing with his right and effectively slipping the oncoming punches. Morales began to back Pacquiao up against the ropes only to be met with a vicious series of punched culminating in a thundering straight left that dumped the Mexican warrior on the seat of his pant. Morales rose at the 8 count, but the writing was on the wall. He fought back valiantly, but it was clear he did not have the snap in his punches to hurt the marauding ‘Pac Man’. They traded violently at the end of the round with Morales showing enormous courage in going back into the trenches.
Round three saw Morales take some severe punishment probably ending the legends career for good.
The Tijuana native began by firing off an excellent body shot, but was met with a fast combination from the surging Filipino moments later. Pacquiao landed a massive left that stopped Morales dead in his tracks, shocking him into retreat. Pacquiao followed through with another combination wobbling the Mexican badly. Staggering, Morales then motioned Pacquiao in to prove he was not hurt. Obliging him, Pacquaio bombed his way to trade with the defiant Morales. After taking some nasty blows, Morales tried to cover up but Pacquiao’s ferocity was just too much. A quick one-two combination flattened Morales to the canvass. Morales rose to his feet after taking an eight count, and amazingly fought back with as much venom as he could muster. Pacquiao, smelling blood, walked through Morales punches to land another straight left crumpling Morales again. Sitting on the floor, Morales gave the referee a look of resignation, signalling he could no longer continue. The fight was stopped with 3 seconds left of the round.
“I’m quicker than him”, said a happy Pacquiao after the fight. “He came looking for me early, and it gave me chances to get to him early”.
“I think he felt my power this time”
Gracious in defeat, Morales offered no excuses for his loss.
“I did my best, I had the physical and mental preparation for the fight,” he said humbly.
“I did my best, he was just too much.”
Of the final knock down, he said candidly:
“I was looking to my corner, and they were urging me to get up. I didn’t want to get up. I think there is a time when you know its good to give up when you cant win.”
“It just was not to be.”
“It might not be the best thing to carry on”, said Morales when asked about his retirement. “I just want to say, it was always a pleasure to give everyone great fights.”
And that he has. Let us hope then, that he does not return to the sport he has already sacrificed too much for.
